Asian nations hoping for more American muscle got a mixed message Saturday: Step up if you want to move to the front of the line. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the US will prioritize "countries that help themselves" and declared "the era of the United States subsidizing the defense of wealthy nations is over." He framed the Trump administration's posture as "big stick, speak softly" and "strong, quiet and clear," while his text skipped over some of the region's hottest issues in his prepared remarks, the New York Times reports, notably Taiwan.
The omission was striking given Hegseth used to hammer Beijing over its behavior toward the island, mentioning Taiwan five times in his 2025 speech. This time, he lauded allies like Japan, South Korea, Australia, and Vietnam for boosting defenses, while offering warmer words on US-China ties and praising President Trump's outreach to Xi Jinping. Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth warned the softer tone and talk of Taiwan arms sales as a "bargaining chip" risk signaling deference to Beijing. Analysts said allies wanted clarity on the future scope of US support; instead, they heard a conditional offer and a warning that Washington expects them to shoulder more of the load.
Hegseth did say that ensuring that China is not allowed to dominate the Indo-Pacific remains an American priority, per the AP. "There is rightful alarm regarding China's historic military buildup and the expansion of its military activities in the region and beyond," he told the gathering. Chinese Maj. Gen. Meng Xiangqing later praised Hegseth's remarks about the meeting between Xi and Trump, saying the consensus the two leaders reached "should provide strategic guidance for China-US relations over the next three years and beyond."
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